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Oct 22, 2006

I've been winding bobbins since I started stitching. I find it keeps the floss neat and tidy in a compact spot. It's easy to pull the colors I need and put them back when I'm done. A while back, a stitcher in one of my groups asked how to wind bobbins so I took pics as a general guide in how to do it. So here's what I came up with:

I've probably got at least two, if not 3 entire sets of DMC floss wound on bobbins in 11 floss cases. Any excess floss I have is stored in a clear plastic storage container, waiting to be put on bobbins when necessary.

I've found that my winder doesn't hold tight to the side of the floss box and gets a little wobbly. I solved that problem by wedging the plastic bobbin that came with the winder and another thin cardboard bobbin in with the legs of the winder that fit over the box. it makes a snug fit and my winder doesn't wobble.

I have a lot of my floss on bobbins, but I don't have a winder. Maybe I should get one. Do you think it is better to organize floss by color number, or by color groups? Which is more efficient? Most of my floss is still in bags, organized by color number and placed on rings.

Sweat Pea,I do the same thing. Some times the boxes are just not thick enough to hold the winding jig.I was told by one of my group leaders that she uses small zip snack bags with an index card inside to hold it up, and to place the bags into a video or photo storage box. I found some at JoAnn's with a slot on the front for a label - box 1, box 2, box 3 box 4 to show numerical order inside. I now use those as the leader said, "The floss doesn't seem to tangle as much when left on the skein." Sadly, after having several winders available to me and lots of bobbins in boxes, I found that to be accurate. Why? Haven't the foggiest. But the floss doesn't seem to tangle as much by keeping the floss in skein mode. I took the alphabetized index card dividers, turned them backwards and wrote the number series on the tabs, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, etc..A bit bulkier to store, but I think I do save time by not winding, & husband is happier that the winder 'squeaks' have been eliminated so he can sleep. LOL (I find I like to wind in bed before I go to sleep because it helps me to relax.) I am also very disappointed in the DMC brand of bobbins. The slot to end off and place the floss in is too large and the floss is constantly unwinding in the box. I prefer and like the Darice brand as it has a much smaller, narrower slot in which the floss will sit when done. So now here is another method to possibly consider.